There are so many different things I just LOVE about living in Mentor, Ohio. It's such a pretty city, so many things to see and do. Trees are abundant in Mentor. I am sure that's one of the reasons why Greater Cleveland... of which Mentor is a part... is referred to as The Forest City. (Did you know that ?)

Mentor is also on the southern edge of what has become once again... beautiful Lake Erie. Thirty or forty years ago... very few would have called it that... but wow... Lake Erie has come back "in style."

With all that water, and with all those trees... Mentor also has more than it's share of birds. And Ducks. And... Geese. Of course, geese fly south for the winter, and north for the summer. At least they used to.

Somehow or other... with the climate change that is going on... and with Cleveland more likely than not to have Winters like the one that just ended... (which really wasn't much of a Winter, at all)... somehow many of the Canadian Geese that used to fly south from Canada... and used to bypass Northeastern Ohio... have chosen not only to stop and rest a bit in Mentor... but many, many of them have chosen Mentor to be their home.

I have heard some Mentor'ites... quite a few, actually... who don't really appreciate having all these Canadian Geese around. I think the main reason is because of all those little "presents" that the geese leave behind. But hey, it's free fertilizer, so why complain. Keep Mentor Green !

About a week ago I was driving down Mentor Avenue heading towards the lovely colonial city of Painesville... and stopped to have lunch at Panera Bread. And yes, that is where I met my new little friend. I think her name is Gertrude. Yeah, that's it. Gertrude T. Goose.

Trudie stopped waddling around when she saw me park, and we chatted awhile. We had a nice "visit" actually... and would have spent more time together if it weren't for the rain.

Please... do me a favor. If you happen to be out near that Panera Bread on Mentor Avenue, and see Gertrude T. Goose and her friends... please tell her that Carolyn said Hi !

I'll probably be down the street in my office on the west side of Center Street (just north of Mentor Avenue at 7400 Center Street... corner of Prospect St). And... if you need help finding a "goose" of your own, and a home with a nice back yard to put it in... please call me... Carolyn Kolba... at (440) 567-7211.

Brian, I just love these Canadian geese. And just think. With me on the shores of Lake Erie... right across the water, is Canada. Hmmm... I wonder how much building a bridge across the lake would cost ? I do think that Lake Erie IS a fairly shallow lake... LOL.

Posted by Carolyn Kolba, Keller Williams Realty- Mentor, Ohio (Serving Mentor, and all of Lake County, Ohio) over 6 years ago

Kay, thanks for your kind words about my post. As for your question, that's pretty easy to answer. The "goose" I got was Trudie. My little goosie friend. She is so cute. She's also quite a talker.

Posted by Carolyn Kolba, Keller Williams Realty- Mentor, Ohio (Serving Mentor, and all of Lake County, Ohio) over 6 years ago

Thanks for sharing your Canada Goose story. We have thousands of Gertrude's extended family members in Maryland. We wish that some of them would relocate to Ohio.

Posted by Roy Kelley, Roy and Dolores Kelley Photographs (Realty Group Referrals) over 6 years ago

I live in St. Cloud, Minnesota, and we too have Canadian Geese that have taken up residence here, year round. Not a global warming thing, as it has been so for many years, but an open water and available food thing. The Mississippi River flows through a set of rapids with a dam on the north and south ends of town, and so, there is open churning water for the geese to swim in and plenty of fields nearby to feed on crop stubble, etc.

Unplanned visits are sometimes the best especially with furry friends; enjoy the new office and all the clients that will come in.

Posted by Teral McDowell (Referral Patners LLC) over 6 years ago

Carolyn, Those Canadian Geese are pretty and seem to be all over. We have them here too and they can become aggressive especially when mama goose has babies around. And out here there little presents aren't so little.

Carolyn, I did not know that Cleveland was considered the Forest City. We also have geese who prefer to stay in Florida - can you imagine? It's so hot here in summer, I'm surprised they can stand it compared to Canada.

There was a big flock of geese at an adult community my mom lives at in Silver Spring. They were leaving messes and causing traffic messes too. The community had the best idea ever to control the geese population - they got a DOG (Australian Shepherd) that would continually herd the geese away from the roads and walkways, keeping them "herded" into a safer area near a pond. Problem solved and the dog got a good job!